Freddie was one of the little gypsy boys whom you may remember hearing about last week. He was the youngest one just five years old, and he did not understand much of what he heard in Sunday school, but he did remember one thing.
He hurried home to his little house on wheels, climbed up upon his father’s knee, and repeated the teacher’s message, “Father, Jesus loves you.”
The man put his little son down on the floor again, and strode out into the woods. He wanted to be alone. It was a long time since he had heard that holy Name spoken reverently. He had heard of Jesus long ago, of His death for sinners, and of His love, but he was an ungodly man, and had often taken that Name in vain. He never remembered hearing it spoken revently in his home until it came today from the lips of his little son, came with the assurance that, in spite of his years of wickedness, Jesus still loved him.
The gypsy father knelt down at last, all alone in the woods, and the thought of the love of Jesus, unchanged by all his sin and hatred, poured over his soul. He thanked the Lord Jesus for loving him, poor sinner that he was, and his hard heart was filled with love in return.
For many years the old gypsy lived to prove the reality of his conversion that day. He went about from town to town selling baskets, and many a faithful word was spoken here and there for his beloved Saviour.
On one occasion he saw a young lady coming from the front door of a house as he passed towards the back door. Her face was sad, and he longed to comfort her with his own joy.
“Lady,” he said, stopping by the garden fence, “I see a ring upon your finger. It is made of gold, tried in the fire. Let it speak to your heart of the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, tried under the fire of God’s wrath, even unto death for our sakes. Even as the ring is a circle, without end, so the love of Jesus has no end, but He loves us eternally in spite of sin and sorrow, and wishes us but to accept. His love and make it our own, as you have done with your ring.”
It was a message from God to the young lady, and she told of it often with joy, though she never saw the old man again.
The Lord Jesus loves you also, in spite of all you have done. Will you not this moment accept His love, that you may be saved for eternity?
ML 02/01/1953